The Early Bird
by Skrillexia
Summary: Thomas is chosen to pull the early morning mail whilst Percy is being repaired at the Steam works, he's so excited about doing the mail again that he constantly talks about it to the other engines. And he forgets to be quiet and ends up waking everyone up causing them to make silly mistakes, he realises he had caused a lot of trouble and learns his lesson.


**Author's note**: My first story of the new year =D Here's another Thomas and friends re-write =)

It was early morning on the Island of Sodor, the engines were fast asleep at the sheds. Except Percy, he had just finished doing the early morning mail run and was on his way back to Tidmouth sheds. He liked doing the mail early in the morning, it was always peaceful. Then as he arrived at Marron station he heard a hiss "What's that?!" he exclaimed and came to a stop.

His driver and fireman inspected him "Your water pipes have cracked Percy, we can't continue as it'll be too dangerous" the driver replied.

Percy sighed "Oh, so now what are we gonna do?" he asked.

"I'll phone for help" the guard replied and walked inside.

At Tidmouth sheds the engines were just waking up from their slumbers when the fat controller arrived "Percy has broken down, he's at Marron station" he said "he will need to be taken to the Steam works to have his water pipes repaired"

"I'll take him sir" Thomas replied.

"Sir who will do the mail run the next morning?" Gordon asked.

The fat controller thought a moment then looked at the blue tank engine "Thomas, I'd like you to do the mail run" he said.

Thomas was delighted, he hasn't done the mail run for a very long time "Thank you sir" he replied with a smile "I can't wait"

The fat controller smiled and left.

The blue tank engine puffed out the sheds.

Ten minutes later he arrived at Marron station where Percy was looking down "Hey Percy" he said with a smile.

The green tank engine smiled "Hello Thomas" he replied.

"Percy I'll take you to the Steam works" Thomas replied with a smile "you'll be as good as new in no time"

Percy smiled "Thanks Thomas" he said.

The blue tank engine smiled and buffered up to him, he pushed him to the Steam works.

Five minutes later they arrived at the Steam works "Hello my friends" Victor greeted.

"Hello Victor, Percy's water pipes are cracked" Thomas replied with a smile.

"Not to worry, Percy will be puffing in no time" Victor replied with a smile.

Percy smiled, then he had a thought "Thomas, who's doing the mail run in the morning?" he asked.

"The fat controller said I can do it" the blue tank engine replied with a smile "I can't wait"  
The green tank engine knew his best friend hadn't done the mail run for a very long time "Thomas do you know what to do?" he asked.

"Of course I do" Thomas replied with a smile "I'll be fine, don't worry" and with that he puffed out of the Steam works.

Later that day Thomas was pulling his passenger train, every time he passed an engine he would say how excited he was about doing the mail run again. He came to a level crossing where he saw Gordon waiting the other side "Hello Gordon" he greeted "I can't wait to-"

"Thomas I already know how excited you are about doing the mail run again" Gordon interrupted "besides, shouldn't you talk to Percy about how to do the mail run"

"I've done the mail run before, I know what to do" the blue tank engine replied with a smile.

"That maybe, but it's been a long time since you've done the mail" the big blue engine replied "especially early in the morning"

"Don't worry Gordon, I know what I'm doing" Thomas assured.

"Do you indeed" Gordon murmured.

The gates opened and the two engines set off.

That night Thomas was still rambling about how excited he was about doing the mail again, he didn't realise that he was stopping the other engines from getting any sleep.

"I can't take this anymore!" James said "I'm out of here" and with that he puffed out of the sheds to sleep at Knapford sheds.

"Huh? What's wrong?" the blue tank engine asked.

"Thomas none of us can sleep with you talking, I'm going to join James" Edward replied and puffed out of the sheds.

"Sorry Thomas" Toby said and puffed out of the sheds as well.

"I need my beauty sleep" Emily added and puffed out the sheds.

"C'mon Gordon, let's sleep at the Steam works where it's peaceful" Henry said.

Gordon agreed and the two engines puffed out of the sheds, leaving Thomas by himself.

Ten minutes later Gordon and Henry arrived at the Steam works where Percy was still awake, he was glad to see the two big engines "Hello guys" he greeted.

"Hello Percy" the big green engine replied "can Gordon and I sleep here?"

"Thomas hasn't stopped talking about the mail run" the big blue engine added.

The green tank engine smiled "Sure" he replied.

The two big engines smiled and joined Percy in the Steam works "Do you think Thomas knows what he's doing?" Henry asked.

"I don't know, I just hope he remembers that you need to be quiet when doing the early morning mail run" Percy replied.

"Hm, I have a feeling that Thomas may have forgotten that" Gordon said.

"We'd better get some sleep then" the big green engine replied.

The other two engines agreed and went to sleep.

Early next morning Thomas puffed into Knapford station where the mail train was waiting for him "I can't wait to do this again" he said with a smile, he knew where to go. But he forgot that he had to be quiet when doing the early morning mail run, when he was coupled up he blew his whistle and puffed out the station.

His first stop was at Brendon docks, all was quiet and Cranky was fast asleep.

Thomas came to a stop "I'd better whistle" he said "then they'll know I'm here" so he blew his whistle loudly, the noise resonated through the whole docks waking up poor Cranky.

The workmen arrived and unloaded their mail, they bid the blue tank engine farewell.

Thomas smiled and puffed out of the docks, not noticing he had woken up a certain crane.

Cranky yawned as he looked around "Who's whistling this early in the morning?" he grumbled.

Thomas' next stop was the quarry, he was enjoying himself "I'd better whistle to let them know I'm here" he said and he whistled loudly, the noise echoed throughout the quarry waking up poor Mavis who had been sleeping in a siding.

The blue tank engine came to a stop and some workmen arrived to unload their mail, when they were done they bid him farewell.

Thomas smiled and puffed out the quarry, not realising he had woke up Mavis.

Mavis yawned "Who's whistling so early in the morning?" she murmured as she looked around sleepily.

Thomas was loving doing the mail run again, he blew his whistle as he went along. Not realising that he was waking up everyone as he did so.

His last stop was the Steam works where Percy Gordon Henry Victor and Kevin were sleeping "I'd better whistle so they know I'm here" he said and blew his whistle loudly waking the other engines up.

Some workmen arrived and unloaded the last of the mail.

Thomas smiled and blew his whistle, he puffed away not realising he had woke the other engines up.

Kevin yawned "Who was that boss?" he asked sleepily.

Victor yawned "Ugh, who knows Kevin" he murmured.

"I told you he would forget to be quiet" Gordon said and yawned.

"No doubt he's woke the others up as well" Percy replied quietly and yawned as well.

The other two engines mumbled in agreement.

Percy was right, all the engines were making silly mistakes because of how tired they were. Cranky accidently dropped his load as he was unloading a ship, when the workmen looked at him they saw he had fallen asleep.

Gordon was at Knaford station, he was tired.

The passengers boarded the express and the guard blew his whistle, but when Gordon didn't move he blew his whistle again. He frowned and got out, he walked up to him and was surprised to see that the big blue engine had fallen asleep.

Mavis was shunting trucks under the hopper so they could be loaded with rocks, but she didn't push the trucks far enough and the quarry rocks went onto the tracks. The workmen saw that she had fallen asleep.

Thomas had no idea his friends were making silly mistakes because they were tired, he was on his way to Tidmouth sheds to have a rest. He was proud of himself "That was easy" he said "I'd love to do it again"

When he arrived at the sheds, the fat controller was waiting for him. He was cross "Thomas, your whistling this morning woke everybody up" he said sternly "now everyone is making silly mistakes"

The blue tank engine was surprised, he had no idea he had caused his friends to make silly mistakes "I'm sorry sir" he replied "I had no idea" he felt bad, he had been boasting about how excited he was about the mail that he forgot he had to be quiet. And he didn't listen to Gordon's advice about asking Percy about the mail run.

"Now Percy won't be ready for tomorrow morning's mail run" the fat controller added.

"I'm sorry sir, I was so excited about doing the mail that I forgot to be quiet" Thomas replied quietly "I should have asked Percy what to do, please sir let me do the mail run tomorrow"  
The fat controller was uncertain "I'm not sure Thomas" he said.

"I'll be quiet, I promise" the blue tank engine replied.

"Well...alright, but this is your last chance" the fat controller replied.

Thomas smiled "Thank you sir" he said.

When the fat controller left Gordon came into the yard.

"You were right Gordon, I should have talked to Percy instead of boasting" the blue tank engine said quietly "and I'm sorry for boasting so much last night"

The big blue engine smiled "You're a young engine Thomas and you sometimes let your excitement cloud your judgement" he replied "but you learn by your mistakes"

Thomas smiled "Well now I know that I have to be quiet when doing the mail" he replied.

Gordon smiled "You owe the others an apology as well" he said softly.

"I'll apologise to everyone tonight" the blue tank engine assured.

That night all the engines were at Tidmouth sheds "Guys, I'm sorry for boasting so much last night" Thomas said looking down at the tracks "I was just so excited about doing the mail run that I forgot to be quiet"

The other engines smiled "Well by the sounds of it Thomas, you have learned your lesson" Edward replied.

"We forgive you Thomas" Henry added.

Thomas smiled "Thanks everyone" he replied "I know now that I have to be quiet when doing the early morning mail run"

So the next morning Thomas was doing the early morning mail run again whilst Percy was at the Steam works, this time he was quiet when he puffed to his destinations and didn't whistle at all. Everyone got a peaceful night sleep.

Later that day Thomas visited Percy at the Steam works "Hello Percy" he greeted.

The green tank engine smiled "Hello Thomas, I didn't hear you this morning" he replied.

"That's because I was quiet" the blue tank engine replied with a smile "I got so excited that I forgot yesterday, and because of it everyone made silly mistakes"

Percy smiled "Well now you know" he said "so did you enjoy the mail run?" when he got no response he looked at his best friend who had fallen fast asleep, he smiled "sleep well Thomas, and thanks for doing the mail" all he got in response was a sleepy murmur.

**The End**


End file.
